Thera 2.21: Uttara
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(141):Uttara Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =141. Uttara= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Sāketa,1 in a brahmin's family, he was named Uttara. Convinced by the twin-miracle at the Kadamba tree at Savatthi,2 where some business had taken him, he was induced to leave the world(for monkhood) when the Lord(Buddha), at Sāketa, preached the Kalaka Park discourse.3 Going with the Lord(Buddha) to Rājagaha, he there developed insight and acquired sixfold abhiññā(higher knowledge). Returning again to Sāvatthī to wait on the Buddha, the bhikkhus(monks) asked him: 'What, Monk, have you already accomplished your 129 religious duties?' He, declaring anna(supreme attainment), replied in these verses: ---- 161 Khandhā mayā pariññātā taṇhā me susamūhatā,|| Bhāvitā mama bojjhaŋgā patto me āsavakkhayo.|| || 162 Sohaɱ khandhe pariññāya abbūhitvāna1 jāliniɱ,|| Bhāvayitvāna bojjhaŋge nibbāyissaɱ anāsavo' ti.|| || ---- 161 Well do I understand the factors five, And well is craving rooted out in me, Developed are the seven wisdom-chords, And all the poison-fumes are shrunk to nothing. 162 And since the factors now are understood, I - look you!4 - throwing out the Huntress fell sets her netted trap for every thought,5 And cultivating wisdom's harmony,6 Sane and immune, in peace shall pass away.7 ---- 1 See XXVIII. 2 Created by the Buddha (Sum. V., 57). 3 Ang., ii. 24, on a Tathagata's(Buddha’s) clarity of knowledge and integrity. 4 So'haṃ, lit. 'this self-same I.' 5 Expansion of the one word jūlinī, 'she who lays a net' - i.e., craving - 'by the suffusion of which the manifold web of the senses becomes as a net' (Atthasālinī, p. 363; Bud. Psy., p. 278, n. 2). Cittacittasantānato uddharitvā (Commentary). 6 Bojjhangā, as in verse 161. Cf. Compendium, pp. 66, 180 f. The Commentary calls the seven 'the concord of the Path(Dhamma).' 7 Nibbāyissaṃ anāsavo, 'by the expiry of the last (moment of) consciousness, like a fire without fuel, I shall parinibbān-''ate without danger (of rebirth)' ''(Commentary). ---- 2.3. Third Chapter =2.3-1 141 Commentary on the stanza of Uttaratthera= The stanza starting with khandhā mayā pariññātā constitutes that of the venerable Thera Uttara. That is the origin? This one also having done devoted deed of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating good deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in family home at the time of the Blessed One Siddhattha, ninety four aeons (kappa) ago. On having attained the age of intelligence, he became one who had gained pious pleasure in the dispensation (sāsana) and aptly declared himself of the state of his being a devotee. When the Master had passed away into parinibbāna, he assembled his own relatives together, brought together much reverential offering and personal respect and made his reverential offerings to the relion (dhātu). On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in a brahmin family in Sāketa, when this Buddha arose. He gained the name Uttara and on having come of age, he went to Sāvatthi on a certain business. There he happened to have noticed the twin miracle performed (by Buddha) at the foot of the mango tree of Kaṇḍa, became piously pleased with it, again his pious faith became specially increased by the teaching of Kālārāma sutta, became a monk, went along with the Master to Rājagaha, took up his higher ordination, dwelt but there, placed himself in the path of spiritual insight, and became an Arahant with six sorts of higher-knowledge (abhiññā) but before long. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “When Siddattha, the protector of the world passed into nibbāna, I brought together my relatives and made my reverential offering to His relics. It was ninety four aeons (kappa) ago that I specially made my reverential offering to the relics; I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my making reverential offering to the relics. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, become an Arahant with six sorts of super knowledge (abhiññā) while the Master was dwelling in Sāvatthi, he went from Rājagaha to Sāvatthi and when asked by monks thus: “Friend! Has the highest height of monk’s duties been made to attain by you?,” the Thera spoke two stanzas in order to reveal his Arahantship (aññā):– 161. “Aggregates (khandhā) had been all round understood by me; my craving desire (taṇhā) had been well removed. Elements of enlightenment of mine had been developed; freedom from cankers had been attained by me. 162. “That I, having all round understood the aggregates (khandhā), after having ousted the net-like craving (jālinī) and developed the elements of enlighten- ment, I shall enter nibbāna canker free. There, khandhā means five aggregates of attachment (upādāna). Pariññātā means: developed and understood after having thoroughly classified thus:– “This is painful suffering (dukkha); it is not more than this (ito bhiyyo). By this, he said about his all-round knowledge (pariññā) and full understanding (abhisamayaṃ) of the noble truth (ariyasacca) of painful suffering (dukkha). Taṇhā means to be thirsty, to crave all round, thus craving desire (taṇhā). Susamūhatā means: well slaughtered. By this, he speaks of the full understanding of the forsaking of the noble truth of the origin of misery (samudayasacca). Bhāvitā mama bojjhaṅgā means: the attribute (aṅga) of a noble (ariya) individual reckoned as enlightement (bodhi) either for the concord (samaggi) of such phenomena (dhamma) as awareness and so on (satiādi) or for the possession of it (taṃ samaṅgino) reckoned as enlightenment (bodhi); thus, the attribute of enlightenment (bojjhaṅga). The deeds (dhamma) included (pariyāpanna) in the right path (magga) reckoned as awareness (sati), investigation of the truth (dhammavicaya), exertion (vīriya), zest (pīti), serenity (passaddhi), concentration (samādhi) equanimity (upekkhā) have been developed (bhāvitā), aroused (uppāditā) and increased (vaḍḍhitā). Here also, but by taking of attributes of enlightenment, all the deeds of the right path (magga) owing to the state of having practised along with it, as well as all the deeds of elements of enlightenment (bodhi-pakkhiyadhamma) have been taken; thus, it should be seen. But by means of this even, he shows the full understanding of the development (bhāvanā) of the truth of right path (maggasacca). Patto me āsavakkhayo means: cankers beginning with sensual cankers (kāmāsava) become exhausted (khīyanti) here; thus, āsavakkhayo (the exhaustion of cankers); having gained the name thus, the uncreated phenomenon (asaṅkhatadhammo) had been attained and achieved by me. By this, he speaks of his full understanding (abhisamaya) of his visualisation of the truth of cessation (nirodha sacca). To this extent (ettāvatā) he shows his own prosperity of attaining nibbāna which is together with the residue of the substratum of existence (saupādisesa). How, however, in order to show his prosperity of attaining nibbāna without any substratum of existence, he spoke the second stanza starting with “Sotaṃ.” Its meaning is:– khandhe pariññāya means: that in this manner, by the said method, having all round understood the aggregates (khandha); jālinī means: thoroughly knowing likewise even. That there exists to this a net reckoned as happening (pavatti) again and again in the manner of being well sewn in having been classified into such classifications as past and so on, in the internal and external abodes of senses (āyatana) in one’s own body and bodies of others; thus, the craving (taṇhā) which gained the name jālinī (having net); abbahitvāna bojjhaṅge bhāvayitvāna means: likewise, but pulling it out even, having developed the said classifications of elements of enlightenment (boffhaṅga) after having made them attain the all-round fulfillment of developing spiritual insight (bhāvanāpāripūriṃ); anāsavo means: having become canker-free but as a result of that; nibbāyissaṃ means: having so stood with the sprung-up knowledge (jātavedo) as if being detached (anupādāno), now, with the cessation (nirodha) of the last and final (carimaka) mind. (citta), I shall enter nibbāna completely (parinibbāyissāmi). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Uttara is complete. ----